Today we will be learning about the anatomy and functions of the Paragordius obamai species!
Here below you can see the overall juvenile structure, at the top(Figure 15.17), and the transverse section, at the bottom(Figure 15.16), of the Paragordius obamai.
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Because this species doesn’t need to reproduce sexually, and there is no need for the external sex organs to be present. The females do carry ovaries (Figure 15.16B), and the males* do have internal testis organs (Figure 15.17A); however remember that the Paragordius obamai females can reproduce without the need for male species fertlization. (1)
Paragordius obamai is a free-living organism that lives in aquatic areas or in damp soil; the movement of these animals is based on the constriction of their longitudinal muscles that are composed within the body, and therefore there is an absence of locomotion cilia or flagella as movement via those organs isn’t necessary(15.16A). (1)
Depicted above in Figure 15.17B, the larvae bear a protrusible proboscis which bears spines. This feature is for the use of feeding/sucking nutrients. As larvae this species is parasitic in the environment; it isn’t until maturation that the species becomes free living and the anatomy of the animal is altered to reflect that of similarity to Figure 15.16A. (1)
The Phylum Nematomorpha is divided into two classes; the Nectonematoida class, and the Gordioida class. The Paragordius obamai falls under the Gordioida class. (1)
Maybe you can notice that the circulatory, respiratory and excretory systems are absent among these organisms, and that the necessary organs for these systems aren’t there in entirety; this is due to the pseudocoel being a mostly fluid-filled body cavity in addition to being filled with parenchyma cells (Figure 15.16B). (1)
Some of these structures have similarities to the Phylum Nematoda (absent respiratory and circulatory system, unsegmented body, longitudinal muscle, and etc.) , Phylum Kinorhyncha (absence of respiratory and circulatory systems and juvenile cuticle molts), and the Phylum Priapulida (cuticle molts and a pseudocoel body cavity). (1)
It appears that this new found species may have adapted/inherited all the favorable conditions of those closely related to enable its survival without compromising a lifestyle for the missing/removed features.